


Finding Home

by ElementsOfCurie



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Minor Angst, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:33:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23619073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElementsOfCurie/pseuds/ElementsOfCurie
Summary: Laris and Zhaban are former Tal'Shiar operatives, trying to find their footing on Earth. Finding their...Earth legs, if you will. It is a difficult and slow process but with the help of the Admiral and some four-legged fur friends, they are beginning to find home.
Relationships: Laris/Zhaban (Star Trek)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter One - Seperation

If you were ever to ask Laris what she found most difficult during her relocation, she'd probably say adjusting to Earth customs, adapting, but in truth it was the process of becoming a citizen of the Federation and the length of time she had been away from her mate, Zhaban. The couple were mostly inseparable these days, never too far apart…

Those few months were hell. They had been placed in several different locations, multiple times until eventually split up, Laris being placed in Dublin and Zhaban somewhere called Spain. This was in order to question them properly. 

They were held in entirely different buildings, countries apart and were allowed brief contact once a week, via some form of communication the humans called 'video call', a custom that both Romulan's had come to cherish. 

Zhaban had been cleared some weeks prior to Laris, due to his personality. Not that Laris lacked in such an area but she was certainly more Romulan than she looked. Stubborn, sarcastic and often snarky, infuriatingly so. Out of the two, Laris passed most for a Vulcan, till the very second, she spoke. It wasn't always intentional, just decades of Tal'Shiar training. 

It was just a week before she was to be cleared, Zhaban had told her of their new home. 

As much as she tried to hide her softer side, when it came to Zhaban, Laris couldn't help it. They brought out a side in her that was inexplicably soft and sappy. Like a young schoolgirl…or a love sick puppy. It was frustrating but oh, so nice. 

"It's a small French village. Le Barre, it's in the east of France. Picard said it was some region..."

Pausing, the male watched the sad expression on his wife's face, it pained him to see such a look on her features, sadness didn’t belong in her eyes. A plan began to formulate in his mind, a plan to cheer her up , biting back a small smirk as he prepared for a terrible impression in hopes of making her laugh. Puffing his chest out and trying his to form some semblance to their crotchety employer, something she caught into quickly.

"Bourgogne-Franche-Comté."

A small laugh escaped Laris's lips at the awful impersonation, rolling her eyes playfully, hiding behind her hands in order to disguise the cheesy grin that dared to trespass upon her face. That noise, so sweet and musical, made Zhaban beam happily. 

Hearing her laugh again....

"Now, Zhaban, my love...That is no way to act."

He raised a brow, gently itching his ridges, just gazing her, or the holographic projection of her, feeling his heart swell happily. Although Romulan's were not one for grand gestures to show one's love, there was nothing against what the felt...I n s i d e. And in truth, Zhaban felt like he was floating. The only reason he had been keeping himself going was the promise of his small, perfect, wife. The woman who always found something to pick at in anything. 

"I need more pictures of you. Holos, perhaps. An Earth custom that our new...Master, has shown me.”

He could already sense some difficulty in completing such a task and his thoughts were confirmed when she crinkled her nose and gave that little shake of her head. 

"No..."

"Laris...."

Raising a brow, she stared at him, biting back a smile as he mimicked her look all too perfectly. He knew her well, at times more than she knew herself. 

"I....Shall consider it. That is not a yes, it's a possible consideration. Though, I have no qualms of you capturing little while she lasts this young and well-behaved.”

For a moment, she let that smile slip through, something that made Zhaban crinkle his eyes. It was good to see her smile, particularly in such a situation. It was rare she was quiet and when she was, it often meant something was troubling her. It was undoubtedly the severity of their predicament. In some undisclosed amount of time, their home would be turned to nought but rocks. All their people, those who were saved would be put to planets unfamiliar to them, in small groupings. 

It seemed the vast majority of Tal'Shiar agents were being placed in Earth, perhaps due to fact the Federation wanted to watch them more closely. At least, this was one theory Laris had. 

"Have you been sleeping, dear? You look...Worn?"

"I..."

Laris stopped as soon as she started, just opting for a simple shake of her head. No. She hadn't. 

How could she? 

Without Zhaban and with knowing that she was just one of a lucky few hundred thousand Romulans that were blessed enough to be currently under the operation of being rescued. How many more would make it? It was hard to determine. 

It wasn’t something that either of them wanted to think about either.. .

"I....have been having these weird...feelings and...thoughts...”

Paranoia, clearly. As always.

Laris reminded Zhaban of his mother, only just slightly more reasonable than the old crone. Though, he would never openly accuse his wife of being less than stable-minded. It would hurt her feelings...

"Trepidations, dear?"

"Hm. Something is going to go wrong. I can just.... sense it. In here.” Jabbimg her chest lightly, she frowned, pursing her lips. “but up here...” her hand shifts to tap her temple. “I can see that there is little to nothing on this planet that can harm us, other than ourselves and the...sheer ridiculousness of the weather.”

Zhaban mused quietly for a moment, a small frown working its way onto his brow. Had she mentioned this earlier he would have spent less time jabbering on about apples and oranges and how they weren’t similar at all, despite that silly little phrase they had heard their aids use on their first night here.

"I could ask Picard to...Let me come visit you. I'm sure he could pull some strings. He did spec-"

"No. I... I don't want fuss. And keep such information to yourself."

He nodded, understanding her wish for such things to be kept secret. He couldn't blame her. It had been burned, pressed into their minds that the Federation just weren't to be trusted. 

His mother, Laris's handler often made it more than abundantly clear her disdain for anything to do with Starfleet. 

"Zhaban?"

"Hm?"

"I... love you." 

For a moment, he blinked, stunned into silence. Of course, he knew she loved him. It was abundantly clear, but she had never vocalised it. Why? He never knew but had just accepted it to be part of her culture. After all, they grew up in different areas of Romulus and she was just a good bit younger than he was. Her father was thoroughly militant, sometimes worse than his mother....

Perhaps it's why the old crone liked Laris so much...

A smile split across his face and he raised a brow. 

"One would think that you're missing me more than a bit."

His smile would grow, and he'd even dare to laugh as she threw him a glare, all whilst trying to burrow herself under a fuzzy blanket - A small gift he had been allowed to give her when he left. It was varying shades of grey and had small cat motifs on them. 

Now he knew it truly was the perfect gift. 

"I love you too. I hope you're not suffering the cold too much. I heard it's awful in Dublin."

Another new attribute he had found his wife adapting, the Irish accent. He liked it. A lot. It matched her wit and intellect. He could only assume she was picking it up from whomever was appointed as her aid. After all, she wanted to fit in. It just sounded right on her, the way she spoke ....

"It's alright...Well, it's freezing but I'm managing, I suppose..." 

By now, she'd happed herself up enough that her face could just be seen between her wild, unruly locks and the blanket. Shiny eyes and a nose that was just a little red from the cold.

"Mm, but you have some help now?"

He could tell she was blushing, from the way she squirmed under the cover, such an image of his Laris, all flushed and tousled hair just made his smile grow. 

He drew his eyes from her face, just a moment to check the time. It was good timing too; it was nearing the end of their call time, much to his dismay. Looking to her again, getting the feeling that she too was aware of their ‘visit’ coming to an untimely end. 

Softly, he’d broach the subject.

"Laris...."

"I... know."

"Ten minutes left...."

In a swift movement, she grabbed the device and carried it over to her bedside, settling it in a specific angle before curling up on the bed, in view of the camera. 

"Will you...tell me another of his stories?"

Zhaban smiled, fondly, his heart sinking. Ten minutes wasn't enough time to cover one of Picard's adventures but then his eyes fell upon a book on the desk. 

"I have a storybook here, I was reading. Its imagery is...compelling, it may give you something nicer to dream about...."

Laris's silence was taken as agreement. 

"It's called Alice in Wonderland."

Opening the book, he stole a quick glance, a smile touching his lips as he saw Laris laying there, eyes closed, the blanket pulled up to her nose. If only she was here, he’d pull her close and swaddle her, even if it would result in a thinly veiled threat of damage to his manhood....

She looked so.....small.....vulnerable.

"Laris, are you sleeping already?"

"No....."

Content with her answer, he smiled and looked down at the book, beginning to read. 

The Admiral, who had been stood at the doorway for a good ten minutes now, smiled and pulled back from the door, leaving his new friends to enjoy their time together...alone.


	2. Finding a new friend.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laris and Zhaban are finally reunited and they gain a new friend along the way.

A week had passed and Laris was cleared.

Greeting her at the transport bay was Picard and Zhaban, whom upon seeing her couldn't help but move forward, scooping her up and hugging her, to the point her feet dangled at least three inches from the floor, causing Laris to make a rather un-Laris sounding squeak. 

"Zhaban! You-"

He silenced her with a kiss before setting her down on the ground, pressing his forehead to hers, forgetting they had company. He clutched her face in his hands, going against everything they knew by displaying his affections in the most public manner. Something that had almost literally taken her breath away.

The Admiral cleared his throat and Laris peered around Zhaban at him, studying him for a moment before taking a step forward and extending her dainty hand out towards him. He needn’t speak any words; she knew very well what he was thinking. Any passer-by would surely mistake Laris for some quaint little Vulcan, a ruse she had used once or twice. Yet, Picard knew her and knew what she was capable, her love for quick, calculated manoeuvres and her ability to outwit many, or as Picard had put it to her; ‘Laris, you can run circles round me and I’d never catch up….” 

A compliment, she was led to understand. 

A moment of silence passed before he took her small hand in his larger, calloused one, squeezing gently, a smile spreading across his wrinkled, stubbly visage.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, dear. You look well.”

“I…” A pause, a soft smile forming on her lips. A rare one she had usually reserved for her husband. Picard was now her family and he would be treated as such. 

“The pleasure is mine, honestly. Zhaban has told me of your…unbounding kindness.”

Waving dismissively, he took her bag from her, letting Zhaban place a strong hand on the small of her back, guiding her forth. 

“We have decided to go for a meal before we do anything else. My treat, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Zhaban revealed that you’re partial to some human delicacies. “

The small woman blushed slightly, throwing a look of disapproval towards her husband, who shrugged in reply, offering a slight, apologetic smile. 

“Yes, I am partial to…pasta dishes. They are…simplistic, in both means of taste and preparation.”

The all to accurate description of a much beloved Earth dish made Picard chuckle, turning as he led the two Romulan’s down a rain-spattered path.   
“Yes, I heard of your love for pasta but I am actually referring to your love of pastries and-“

Before he could even finish, he whipped round upon hearing a small, excited squeak from a woman and an exasperated sigh from a man. 

Laris had disappeared off down some alley, Zhaban rushing after her, only stopping to give a single-worded explanation. 

“Cats.”  
Raising a brow, Jean-Luc couldn’t help but move forward too, curious as too see just what was going on and it was certainly something he wouldn’t forget. Turning the corner, he was rather surprised to find the Romulan woman clambering onto a dustbin to reach for a small, ginger stray, scraggily and, to be honest, ugly looking. Yet, Laris seemed enamoured, cooing quietly as she reached out to gently pet his head.

The cat didn’t run, not that he really had the choice, as she scooped him up into her arms.

“Oh, you poor little bugger, out here…All alone…”

The two men drew nearer, watching her mither of the little feline, both perplexed and surprised, pleasantly so. Looking up, she studied their expressions, her brows knitting together in confusion. For a moment longer, the three friends stood, the three friends and one cat. One cat that soon joined their ranks.

Zhaban gave Jean-Luc an apologetic look.

“She’s been obsessed with them since we came here, she watched a film…. with little cartoon cats. I believe it was called Aristocats, she thought it may teach her some French… It did not, but it did, however, teach her that ‘Everybody wants to be a cat’.”

The Admiral laughed, watching the woman fret over the cat in such a human fashion, something he certainly didn’t expect.

Traipsing back out the alley, Laris now quite contentedly talking to her new furry friend, leaving the two men to walk ahead and discuss their travel plans. 

Aside from their new straggler, the night went unbothered. They drank, they dined, and, to Laris’s extreme delight, they danced, Picard taking it upon himself to show her some of the human ‘nightlife’.

The next morning, they were off, headed to La Barre, the promised paradise and haven of safety promised to them. 

Laris kept a keen eye on Picard as she watched him pilot the plane, very keenly aware he was an older human, and yes, to humans, she would be relatively middle-aged herself -though she certainly didn't look it-, now nearing him, she’d peer over his shoulder, looking at what he was doing, crinkling her nose slightly. The Admiral sensed her presence, smiling softly as he tapped away at the console.

“Can I help you, Laris?”

“No.”

Chuckling, the Admiral looked up to her, raising a brow at her bluntness. It was something he knew was common from Romulan’s, but it was always a shocker to hear it from such a sweet-looking woman. 

Laris took notice of his facial movements and raised a brow, mimicking him, which made him laugh, to her utmost confusion. 

“What?”

This time, she ensured to soften her tone and relax her stance, not wanting to seem too harsh or cold. However, the moment was ended fast by a soft mewing in the far corner of the room that had distracted the small woman. Turning her head, a huge smile spread across her face. 

“Biscuit….”

Crossing the floor, she knelt by the cat carrier, gently poking her finger through the small holes in the cage. 

“Hello, baby-cat.”

“Laris, I don’t think it hears you…”

Zhaban looked over his PADD, watching his wife and her new beloved pet, slightly displeased, due to the fact that since she found the scraggly thing, she had paid attention to nobody expect the damned cat.

“His name is Biscuit.” 

Looking to him, she frowns a little.

“Don’t be so jealous, dear. He’s not taking me from you….”

“I’d hope not. A Romulan losing his wife to a bloody cat would be embarrassing.”

Throwing her head back, Laris laughed at the man’s dramatics and rolled her eye, making a 'come hither' motion in the air, scrunching her nose and crinkling her eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips.

“Zhaban…”

The male stood, chuckling softly as he came over to her, kneeling and draping his arms around her small frame, pulling her close to press a kiss to her head, mumbling in her hair.

“I think we’re going to do great here…. It’ll be difficult for a while but we can…”

Laris shifted her head slightly, smiling softly and scrunching her nose -again-, her eyes boring deep into his for a moment.

“Of course we will, as long as we’re together.”

He leant forward, pressing his forehead gently to hers, musing softly as he felt her dainty hand come and rest upon his cheek, gently stroking the stubble that was sprouting on his chin.

"We need to get this scraggly mess sorted, my love."

"Don't you like it?"

"It scratches when you kiss me....."

A mischievous smirk takes the mans lips and he ducks his head into her neck, delighting in her squeak of shock and the feeling of a hand swatting him hard on the back.

The Admiral turned, slightly, in his chair, watching with a small smile, shaking his head before turning back to console, finding some comfort to the sounds of Romulans....playing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....There is now a cat. I'm sorry this chapter wasn't as great, the next chapter is going to be a little angsty though.


	3. The Destruction of Romulus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by a song, which I did end up quoting in this. The song was Spirits Collide - Devin Townsend. 
> 
> This chapter entails how the supernova affected our two favourite Romulans.

One year had passed since Laris and Zhaban’s arrival to Earth. One quiet, peaceful year had passed, 2286 passed and 2287 had passed. Zhaban, to his surprise, settled in rather well despite his initial regrets on coming to the Chateau. He grew accustomed to the idea of being a mere famer within weeks, having little to no responsibilities – Aside from ensuring the Admiral’s carnations didn’t wilt. 

Laris, however, floundered. Her struggle was clear, for about two months, she stayed inside as much as she could, doing inventory and setting up various forms of security measures, most of her more barbaric and outlandish ideas being shot down by the Admiral. 

2287 began slowly, the winter months ending and spring rolling in. Across the universe, screens displayed the supernova of the Hobus star. On the screens, a woman spoke in scientific terms, describing what a supernova is and the devastation it could cause, even going as far as to talk of what little would be left of the once great empire. 

However, in the chateau the screens remained black, off, hidden away after Laris had nearly broken the projector by firing at it with a disruptor. 

“They can’t afford a ship or two to save a few thousand people more but are quite alright sending a FUCKING probe out to film it all! Ridiculous!”

Her shouting and flustered curses could be heard by the Admiral and Zhaban from halfway down the vineyard, making them rush to the aid of whomever had been unfortunate enough to be in her presence to cause such a commotion. 

Jean-Luc was the first to enter the room, witnessing Flora, a worker, standing behind the couch practically cowering as she watched the female Romulan pacing, a disruptor in her left hand which was wavering about dangerously, as she ranted in a mixture of Rihan and English, her frantic state more than clear. 

Laris had always been less capable of drawing her emotions on compared to Zhaban, who had said little on the matter. 

“Laris…”

Jean-Luc spoke, his tone low as he ushered Flora from the room, taking her place behind the couch. Laris stopped, turning to face him, her dark eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill down her flushed cheeks. The Admiral studied the woman, her hair wild and eyes wide, she was mostly still aside from trembling hands and a lip that quivered just slightly.   
“I begged them-“

“I know, sir….”

Moving from behind the couch, acutely aware of the presence of the other Romulan behind him, lingering and watching his bewildered wife. The balding human stepped forward to Laris, holding his hands out to take the disruptor, which was reluctantly handed over. As soon as the weapon was handed over, Zhaban approached, reaching out to take his little wife in his arms.

For a moment, silence lingered in the house and Jean-Luc backed away slowly, leaving two Romulans to mourn together. 

Zhaban kept Laris close to his chest, a hand in her hair, fingers gently massaging her scalp, his lips pressed gently to her hairline, silently comforting her, wishing for this all to be over sooner. Finally, he spoke, whispering her true name against her hair, uttering soft promises to keep her safe.

The soft sounds of sniffling could be heard coming from the female and Zhaban pulled back just slightly to tilt her head up, staring into her dark eyes, a hand resting in her cheek, thumb swiping down the bridge of her nose, a small sign of affection he used for her. Their home was gone, turned to nothing but dust and rock, dying matter. 

“Had we still been there….”

“Laris…Don’t think such things.”  
“It’s not fair, Zhaban. We were practically the first! We were brought here by demand of the infamous Jean-Luc…. Millions, Zhaban, millions were left on that planet. Our planet. Our people.”

“I know….”

“My father…Your sister! They were still there; they weren’t granted such fortune as we had been…”

Leaning in, Zhaban silenced her with a kiss. It was not passionate, it wasn’t even loving or warm, just a tactic to silence the woman.

By noon, it was reported Romulus and several other planets had been destroyed. It was estimated about a trillion lives had been lost and there was still more to be counted, though it would be difficult to place a number on it.

Twice, Laris had held a fuss, an understandable fuss, but a fuss no less. The same argument that had spawned earlier events.

“They sent a BLOODY probe out. A probe! To film and record people dying, a whole planet’s destruction. They could have saved them!”

Twice, Zhaban had to calm her down, soothe her. 

Twice, Jean-Luc found himself swimming with guilt and self-loathing. Had he just managed to convince Starfleet.

Deanna Troi had arrived, in order to ensure that the Admiral did not weigh himself down too much with guilt, her arrival was not met with as much warmth as she had hoped it to be.

Twice, Deanna found herself bouncing between three people, trying to counsel them.

Jean-Luc just sat silently, hardly listening. Zhaban listened quietly, saying only what he could. 

Laris...Laris snarled. Laris closed herself off.... until later that night.

Deanna found Laris hidden away in one of the back rooms, folding up some laundry, sniffling quietly. The reaction was subtle, compared to how most humans would react, but to a Romulan it was more than likely to be a show of... a lot of emotion.

The Romulan looked up and sniffed quietly, offering a weak, pained smile.

“Allergies....”

“to?”

“The Admiral’s sense of dress.”

Deanna laughed softly at Laris’s attempt at humour, finding it brave. Very, very brave. 

The two women shared a silence for a moment, a silence that spoke a thousand words.

“Even after defecting, that will.... always be our home.”

“Home holds memories for you...”

Nodding slowly, Laris moved around the table and stood before the counsellor, a small frown working its way onto her face, the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

“....Thank you.”

Deanna raised a brow, getting multiple feelings from the woman that stood before her. Had she finally lifted that barrier? 

“For?”

For a moment, Laris was silently again, seemingly mulling over her words. If you looked closely enough, you could see her biting the inside of her cheek, as if trying to stop herself from saying too much but it came out, it always did....

“Being....here. Your presence is oddly soothing, I apologise.... for snapping.”

If the occasion hadn’t been so disastrous, Deanna would have laughed herself silly. A Romulan apologising...to her!? It was like a really, really weird dream. 

Reaching a hand out, she gently patted Laris on the arm, smiling softly.

“It’s understandable. You watched your home...”

Deanna was cut off by a strong hand on her shoulder, the hand belonged to the Admiral. Just behind him was Zhaban, who was watching Laris keenly. Quietly, the two Romulans dismissed themselves, journeying to their room silently. Once alone, they sigh heavily, looking to one another, a sense of desperation and loneliness hung in the air. 

Laris was the first to break the silence.

“Zhaban…..” 

He gave her a weak attempt of a smile, lumbering forward in an uncoordinated manner before draping his long, toned arms around her smaller frame, pulling her close to him, burying his nose into her hair, mumbling quietly in Rihan. 

“Don’t speak a word, we needn’t….”

Laris gave a little nod, nuzzling close, hiding her face in his chest, giving a heavy sigh, her body going lax in his arms. Slowly, he leant back against the bed, taking her with him as he fell back onto the mattress, feeling a single tear roll down his own cheek.

Her earlier meltdown was enough to tell him that now, more than ever, they needed one another. Laris, a woman so proud of her heritage, was distraught. Clearly. Zhaban had always been better at composing emotions, anger and hurt being emotions he was all too good at concealing. Laris, a rather passionate and aggressive woman was not, though she tried. 

Not that he would change such a trait, it was one of the first things he fell in love with, her passion and determination, her sheer resilience and resistance. No matter how hurt or angry she got, she had the ability to bounce back, never growing tired or weary. 

Laris was a woman that should be both loved and feared, she deserved no less – People should fear how much they love her and love how much they fear her. 

Their home had ended, not with a bang but a whimper. Not in fire but ice. The star had spun so out of control, losing it’s energy growing less and less usable. For years, nothing had been said. Temperatures grew and land grew almost infertile, most of the water sources on Romulus grew toxic – Boiling springs of poison.

A once strong and vast empire was gone. What remained? The Romulan Free state and undoubtedly the remaining military had melded with the Tal’shiar, having little to no choice. 

Romulus was gone and with-it millions of lives, history rich with culture and secrets – As good as dead. 

Zhaban once more began to stroke the bridge of Laris’s nose, humming an old Romulan folk song, staring up at the ceiling, trying to keep himself together. 

“Zhaban?”

“Hm?”

“We will always have each other….”

“Of course….”

“I love you….”

A faint smile, a ghostly glimmer of a smile, touched his lips and he cocked his head, just able to see her face. A small frowned adorned her delicate features and her eyes were locked on his shirt in sheer concentration, following the stitching patterns. 

“Don’t forget who we are, Laris. Remember, in the end that death is not the end…”

Laris looked up, a faint smile touching her lips, mirroring that of the smile on her husband’s face.

“Not for us. We have new beginnings….”

“And we should…take advantage of these news beginnings, make this place our new home, as you said, we have nowhere else…”

For a moment there was silence again, the two Romulans just gazing at each other endlessly, adoringly. 

Their home was lost but they still had each other. 

This, having each other, made them stronger than any other force in the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you so much for all your support. This chapter was later than I intended and I'm not too sure how well I did. As always, I welcome your feedback and any ideas you want to see in future chapters! As mentioned in the summary, I was inspired by a song that I feel matches these two! 
> 
> Follow my account on twitter to get more updates; @ElementsOfCurie


	4. A distant memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silence in a cold, unknowing and unforgiving place in the middle of the Scottish highlands.

Laris woke to the sound of rain thrashing against the window, a small sigh leaving her lips as she slowly rose from the bed, glancing over to Zhaban’s side – Empty, again.

They had been arguing for weeks, to the point that the Admiral demanded they take a vacation. Neither party remembered what they had been arguing for, but the shouting and screaming had diminished into utter silence, not a single word between them. It was, as the humans would say, heart wrenching. No other word aptly described the aching that the woman felt.

It was as if the cruel hands of fate had reached into her chest and began cutting every single one of the stringy muscles that held her heart in place. What did the humans call it?

‘Pulling at the heartstrings’

Yes, that was it. This. This entire situation, the total lack of communication, lack of touching, lack of…feeling. It pulled at Laris’s heartstrings, enough to make her want to cry. Or scream. Or do anything to get Zhaban to speak, just even in the slightest. 

In the past few days, the only thing to slice the silence, a silence that was by now more deafening than the winds outside, was the unrhythmic, heavy handed playing of an untuned piano that Zhaban had found in the back room, an instrument Laris had mastered the year before. 

The uncoordinated thudding of deep, broken sounding notes always made Laris jolt, even when she told herself to expect them.

Slowly, she slid out of the bed, wincing quietly as her bare feet touched the icy cold floor. Bearing through it, she moved towards the window, peering up to the grey, dull Scottish skies, another suggestion of the Admiral’, one she felt was likely a punishment. Why else would he send them to this cold, desolate and decrepit area?

Each day, a monotonous routine of silent walks along Scottish Highlands, silent cups of tea by a pathetic excuse of a crackling fire in a small cottage that yielded hardly any modern technology, another thing that Laris saw as a punishment.

‘No distractions’ stated the Admiral, insistently. He assured the couple it was the only way to fix their tiff. 

So far, she wasn’t sure if it had fixed things or made them worse, Sure, it was pleasant to not have a hoarse throat from yelling at her husband, whilst he yelled back at her louder than she could ever manage. And it was even more pleasant to be able to be in the same room as him but simultaneously, Laris yearned to hear Zhaban’s voice, feel his arms wrap around her and pull her close – Sentimental, yes, but needs must. Another human affectation she had picked up on in recent years. 

Continuing to stare up at the murky, foreboding skies, ones that reminded her all too closely of dull, boring Romulan life – Her species would most likely enjoy this realm just a bit too much, with its rocky, dangerous coasts and lack of enthusiastic life and endless expanses of grey, hilly nothingness. Most certainly a proverbial metaphor for what remained of her marriage in its current state.

Within five years, it had seemingly come to a crashing halt. Forty years of friendship, companionship. Perhaps the act of labelling it, officialising it, had been what do it.

Her train of thought came to a cease, a screeching standstill as she became acutely aware of Zhaban’s presence. Turning, she offered a weak smile, one that was not returned. The tall, aging man stepped forward and held out a steaming mug of what she could assume was tea. Taking it, she muttered a quiet ‘thank you’ in their native tongue and held the mug close to her face, realising just how cold she was as the rising steam began to tingle at the tip of her icy-cold nose. Laris could feel Zhaban’s eyes on her and she looked up to him again, studying his face, scanning desperately for the man she loved. 

Before she could find anything, he moved away, moving to the closest to pull out one of his sweaters, tossing it towards her, which she skilfully caught without spilling her tea – After all these years, her training still paid off in the oddest of ways. Setting her mug aside, she pulled the sweater over her hair, pulling the sleeves over her knuckles, letting them hem sit awkwardly at her thighs. 

For a moment, she swore she saw the faintest of smiles cross her husband’s lips but as soon as it laid its claim to his brims, it was gone.

The room was cold, almost silent, save the slashing of rain against the glass and the echoing, anguished howls of the wind outside. 

It was then and only then that Laris broke the unspoken rule of silence. 

“I love you, Zhaban.”

Running her tongue across her lower lip, she stepped forward, spurred on to take another step when he did not pull away. Avoiding his watchful gaze, she reached out, stretching her fingers out beneath the thick, woollen sleeve to wrap around his hand, managing to trap three fingers in her grasp. Zhaban stood still for a moment before slipping his free hand around her to rest on the small of her back and pull her against his chest, resting his chin on her head, instantly softening at the sensation of her soft, curly tresses against his skin. Inhaling, he took in her scent, that faint scent of vanilla soap that she had taken to far too quickly in her first few days on Earth. 

“I love you too, Laris.”

A very, very soft whimper left the smaller Romulan and she pressed herself firmly against him, falling back to silence, just relishing the long sought-after affection. 

Outside, the winds escalated, whirling loudly, reaching a climax to suddenly halt. The rain softening to a gentle patter on the outside window, leaving it no longer at threat of caving in and subjecting them to a barrage of forceful gails of fatal weather. 

A strong hand wound it’s way into shoulder length curls and fingers gently massaged at Laris’s scalp, a sign, ever so slight and silent, that things were going to be okay – At last. 

“My Laris, my…sahe'lagge.”

Gently, he nudged her back to look into her face, falling silent once more as he watched a small smile form and a glimmer of light dance in her eyes.

Whatever had caused the argument was long forgotten, a distant memory that would likely never be remembered again. 

Leaning down, he pressed a very, very soft and swift kiss to her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm sorry for the cheesy ending. 
> 
> I was greatly inspired by the atmospheric vibe caused by Thom Yorke's take on the Suspiria soundtrack, in particular Suspirium. As well a walk taken in my local area, as I live in the N/E of Scotland, there are areas that are as vast, empty and grey as the area Laris and Zhaban were dwelling in this chapter. 
> 
> I'm also sorry for the lack of dialogue, it was sort of a creative testing.
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoyed it and please, don't hesitate to give feedback! Or suggestions!
> 
> One final apology to you all or taking so long to upload this chapter, things have been on and off and my muse was literally deader than a dodo. Still, I'm here with a sky-high muse and really wanna write lots. I have a heap of one shots/drabble I'm working on, so keep your eyes peeled.
> 
> Yours ever so cheerfully, 
> 
> Curie.

**Author's Note:**

> So this took a while, and it's about the third or fourth draft of this chapter. It's soft and fluffy and I just felt it seemed accurate. Our favourite Space Parents deserve fluff before we give them some angst.


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